Members
of the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS® gathered
Jan. 9 at the Marriott City Center for the swearing in of 2009
President John Wood and the RRAR Board of Directors. Also highlighting
the evening was the naming of the 2008 REALTOR® of the Year.
The honor went to Eddie Speas, executive vice president and general
manager at Coldwell Banker Advantage in Raleigh .
Meet
2008’s REALTOR® of the Year
A nomination form
for Eddie Speas as REALTOR® of the Year states that Speas is
a “great ambassador for the association and the REALTOR® community.” That
appears to be an understatement. Speas passionately
espouses the benefits, strengths and uniqueness of the Raleigh Regional
Association of REALTORS®.
“When I walk out of an association meeting, I feel like we’ve
all contributed to the greater membership and that’s very special,” he
says. “Think about it. We’re sitting with a group of our
competitors, but we trust each other totally. We’re all doing
what we feel is right for all members.” The list of Speas’ RRAR
activities, committees served on and offices held, and professional
and personal achievements and awards is lengthy. And indeed, Speas
is proud of what he has achieved in the real estate industry, but
he doesn’t keep a tally of it all in his head. “It doesn’t
matter how much I’ve done or what group I’ve worked with,” he
says. “It’s part of the real estate business and I love
it. I love just being involved.” There’s one
non-industry related achievement that Speas is particularly proud
of, however. He is a cancer survivor. At age 23, one
year out of college, Speas was diagnosed with leukemia and went through
one and a half years of medical battles. Today, cancer-free, he says
his illness gave his life perspective and clarity, and made prioritizing
daily issues and events simple. “Everyone
has some burden in life,” Speas says. “No one goes through
life unscathed. But I don’t dwell on those days. I know they
made me a better person.” Speas was raised
in Raleigh and graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree
in history. In 1993, during his senior year, Speas also received
his real estate license. He had always been
enamored with real estate because of his grandfather, who while working
full-time in a blanket factory for 43 years also invested in rental
property. Speas would accompany his grandfather to the properties
to do things such as mow the lawns and fix the plumbing. “I saw how
hard he worked and the value of that work,” Speas says, noting
how those memories influenced his decision to make real estate his
career. Originally, Speas
concentrated on land and new home sales. Then from 2001-04, he managed
Ammons Pittman GMAC Real Estate New Homes Division. Since 2004, Speas
has been general manager and executive vice president of Coldwell
Banker Advantage. “I love spending
time with the agents and being partners with them,” Speas says. “I
look forward to seeing how far we can take Coldwell Banker Advantage.”
When not working,
Speas loves to read and hang out at bookstores. He’s also a
football fan (of course,Wake Forest football) and enjoys participating
in sports with his family. Speas and his wife Polly, whom he met
before entering college, have one son, Edwin James. |
